Help college students from Haiti

The Institute of International Education is giving emergency grants of up to $2,000 to U.S. college students who are from Haiti and facing financial problems because of the tragedy in their home country. There are more than 850 students from Haiti studying in the U.S., according to the institute's 2009 data, and most are undergraduates.

For the first round of funding, accredited colleges and universities can nominate up to five students who need help immediately this semester. Students cannot apply directly, but international student advisers and other campus officers can do it for them at www.iie.org/HaitiEAS.

U.S. host campuses nominating students for the grants will be asked what emergency assistance they can provide through tuition waivers, full or partial scholarships, housing, stipends, loans, work study or other forms of support.

The first round of nominations must be submitted by Feb.12 so the institute can award the grants during the week of Feb. 22. The total number of awards depends on the amount of funds available -- and if there is money left, the institute will do a second round of nominations at the end of February.

"By providing emergency assistance to students from Haiti in the United States whose families are suffering so severely back home, our goal is to alleviate immediate financial burdens and provide a measure of security during these tragic times," said Allan Goodman, president and CEO of the institute.

To be considered for a grant, the nominated student must:

Be a Haitian citizen

Be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree program at an accredited U.S. higher education institution as of Jan. 1

Be in good academic standing, as defined by the host campus

Have the appropriate non-immigration visa status (legal permanent residents and U.S. citizens are ineligible to apply)

Demonstrate that the financial ability to continue their studies has been seriously disrupted by the January earthquake